Restaurante Nicos

"In the less touristy Azcapotzalco is Nicos, a longstanding institution that's been around since 1957. Traditional Mexican food is gussied up with creative twists that make dishes feel refreshingly new, and keep us proudly carrying an “I’m a regular here” card. Their menu is a celebration of Mexican ingredients, like a super decadent bone marrow sope with the perfect green salsa, their famous Tijuana-style caesar salad prepared tableside, and arguably the best chiles en nogada in town (available seasonally from July to September). The inside is simple—think typical Mexican red pastel walls—but it’s the food, served in Talavera plates hand-painted in Puebla, that truly shines." - guillaume guevara

"In the less touristy Azcapotzalco is Nicos, a longstanding institution that's been around since 1957. Traditional Mexican food is gussied up with creative twists that make dishes feel refreshingly new, and keep us proudly carrying an “I’m a regular here” card. Their menu is a celebration of Mexican ingredients, like a super decadent bone marrow sope with the perfect green salsa, their famous Tijuana-style caesar salad prepared tableside, and arguably the best chiles en nogada in town (available seasonally from July to September). The inside is simple—think typical Mexican red pastel walls—but it’s the food, served in Talavera plates hand-painted in Puebla, that truly shines. photo credit: Andrew Reiner photo credit: Andrew Reiner photo credit: Andrew Reiner photo credit: Andrew Reiner" - Guillaume Guevara

"Nicos was once a humble stand selling sodas and snacks until one day a customer saw employees eating something delicious and the restaurant was born. The son of the founder now serves as chef, overseeing a tasting menu of classic Mexican cuisine features such standouts as taco de cecina crujiente on a corn tortilla that delivers characteristic intensity. and a flavor-packed, bright dish of camarones al tamarindo. An enchilada stuffed with tasado and beans and bathed in a pixtle sauce from Oaxaca is an aromatic, tasty crowd-pleasing dish, while the aguachile comes with a feisty kick thanks to fiery chili peppers." - Michelin Inspector

"Krista Garcia highlights the carne in su jugo at Nicos." - Eater Staff

"Nico's is a serious restaurant without any pretense. Chef Gerardo Vazquez Lugo started the Mexican chapter of the Slow Food movement, so that should give you an idea what to expect. Some dishes, like sopa seca de natas (a sort of crêpe and tomato cream cake) can be traced back to France's influence on Mexico in the mid-19th century, while others are based on regional recipes unknown in urban Mexico City. Order a mix of both, just be sure to try one of the many variations mole and the warm tortillas whose corn is nixtalimized in-house." - Naomi Tomky, Scarlett Lindeman